The FSSAI has issued an order directing state food safety officials to ensure strict enforcement to check blending of mustard oil with other edible oil. The food authority has also sought an action taken report from the states by May 15, 2022, and added that the enforcement department should be informed at regular intervals about the same.

“In order to ensure that no blending of mustard oil is being carried by any FBO, it is requested to take appropriate actions in the matter including carrying out surveillance and enforcement drives at regular intervals both at the manufacturing and market levels to ensure effective enforcement of the said prohibition of blending of mustard oil in the respective area of jurisdiction,” reads the order.

Earlier the FSSAI had issued a notification in March 2021 banning the blending of mustard oil with any other edible oil for the production of multi sourced edible oil. The order was implemented from June 8, 2021.

Further in June itself, the FSSAI had asked the state food safety departments to carry out inspection drives of all such units licensed for production of Mustard –Multi Sourced Edible Oil or Blended Edible Vegetable Oil.

According to the FSSAI, it was keeping an eye on such units to check whether any prohibited blending of mustard oil was being carried out after the June ’21 order.